Malco Products, SBC, the nation’s leading manufacturer of high-quality, American-made tools for professional use, has a history of providing significant support to the technical education community across the U.S. And that tradition has continued — most recently with a $24,400 in-kind donation of Malco Backpack Tool Kits for SkillsUSA State Association Sheet Metal Champions who went on to compete at the SkillsUSA National Leadership and Skills Conference in Louisville, Kentucky in June 2018.

As a strong supporter and advocate of careers in the trades, Malco donates more than $134,000 of in-kind products and apparel annually to a variety of skilled trade education programs, competitions and events across the country, including high school, post-secondary technical and apprenticeship programs, regional apprenticeship contests and SkillsUSA state and national conferences.

“We are proud to work with education professionals across the country to recognize the hard work and dedication of the men and women in the trades,” said Mardon Quandt, Malco CEO and president. “Malco is pleased to help ensure as many tradespeople as possible are able to tackle a job with our high-quality, labor-saving tools.”

Furthermore, Malco’s year-round “Head of the Class” Student Recognition Program partners with education programs across the country to recognize high-achieving students and entire graduating

classes in the HVAC/sheet metal, building construction and autobody repair fields.

Through the no-cost Head of the Class program, educators can nominate an outstanding graduating student to receive their choice of a significant Malco tool gift with an average value of $150. The entire graduating class also receives Malco caps. Since 2005, the Head of the Class program has reached more than 55,000 students, including 3,000 “Head of the Class” honorees, representing more than 700 high school career technical education programs, technical schools, union Joint Apprenticeship Training Committees and industry association programs across the U.S. and Canada.

“I’m proud that we have reached so many trade and technical education students in the past 13 years,” says Malco Head of the Class program creator Mike Janey. “When we started the Head of the Class program in 2005, I personally packaged and sent the awards by hand, and ever since then the program has been referred to internally as ‘Mike’s Pet Project.’ I couldn’t be happier to have that honor.”

In 2018, the program has seen a record number of participants, and Malco aims to engage with even more educators and students next year. Total donated products and apparel through the 2018 Head of the Class program alone amounts to nearly $100,000. Malco also offers discounts and a custom tool-kitting program to educators and students through its distributors.

To view a photo gallery of Head of the Class winners from 2018 click here.

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